No PCR tests available: Ukrainian labs are unable to detect metapneumovirus, according to a doctor.
The new COVID-19 type virus that is reportedly spreading in China is not actually a novel disease. The human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is detected annually in Ukraine during epidemic seasons and was first identified in 2001. However, there are currently no PCR tests available for diagnosing this infection in Ukraine, as explained Dr. Taras Zhiravetsky in a podcast for "Hromadske Radio."
The doctor suggested that the metapneumovirus may have undergone minimal mutation, resulting in atypical symptoms. On the other hand, the population might have become more vulnerable to other infections following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The virus is primarily diagnosed using the polymerase chain reaction method—PCR testing. However, this requires reagents specifically for the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which are currently unavailable in either state or private laboratories in Ukraine. According to Zhiravetsky, after the media coverage of the "new" Chinese virus, the Ministry of Health will likely procure these tests or send samples for analysis to foreign laboratories, similar to the approach taken during the "COVID" situation.
"For now, it is premature to speak about the laboratory-confirmed presence of this virus in Ukraine. There are no PCR tests or rapid tests for this infection available in Ukraine," the doctor noted.
Metapneumovirus in Ukraine: What is Known
On January 5, epidemiologist Olga Golubovska reported the first cases of the new virus from China in Ukraine. She stated that since the beginning of the infectious disease season, 13 cases of human metapneumovirus have been identified. The doctor emphasized that metapneumovirus is transmitted from person to person via respiratory droplets. The incubation period lasts from 3 to 6 days, and the disease can manifest in a mild form with a runny nose and cough or in a severe form with the development of respiratory failure.
On January 6, the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine also discussed the metapneumovirus that has appeared in Ukraine and noted that this disease regularly occurs during the spread of respiratory infections and usually presents more mildly than the flu. The ministry urged Ukrainians not to panic and assured that ordinary preventive measures—hygiene, ventilation of rooms, and avoiding contact with sick individuals—are sufficient to protect against human metapneumovirus.
Infectious disease specialist, top category physician, and associate professor Yuriy Sukhov warned that metapneumovirus is dangerous for children, especially newborns, the elderly, and those with severe chronic illnesses. However, masks should only be worn in indoor spaces where sick individuals are present.